Promise
by The Ice Garden
Summary: On the night of the Uchiha Massacre, Sasuke makes a promise to himself. [I will do anything to avenge my family.] And, well, if befriending and training the Kyuubi jinchuuriki can help him achieve his goal, then he'll do it. Even if it means dealing with an obnoxious, hyperactive blond who just won't shut up.
1. Chapter 1

**So, guys, as you might notice, I'm completely new to writing, so please tell me if there's anything errors or whatever about this f****ic. Also, I'm just making up this story as I go, so be prepared for the occasional bout of writers block (and therefore lack of updates).**

**And besides that... Well, I dunno. Happy reading, people!**

**Oh, and before I forget:**

**Disclaimer: I am female.**

* * *

_"I won't run away anymore... I won't go back on my word... that is my ninja way!" - Uzumaki Naruto_

* * *

On that night, Sasuke is left unconscious on the floor, or so Itachi thinks.

But despite the fact that his eyes are closed, his breathing is soft and shallow, his heartbeat slow, and his mind not quite processing anything, Uchiha Sasuke is most certainly not unconscious.

_(If you wish to kill me...)_

Suddenly something seems to snap inside of the Uchiha, dark eyes snapping open, and in an instant the fire is back in his gaze, his heartbeat picks up, and his mind is suddenly flooded with conflicted thoughts, emotions, feelings.

_(Then hate me, detest me.)_

Sasuke slowly drags himself up, his gaze landing on the still bodies of his parents. And although his eyes have suddenly bled crimson and the single tomoe in each eye are spinning wildly, he makes no move to go near them.

_(And by all means flee, and cling to your wretched life.)_

An indecipherable sound escapes his mouth, and an icy determination slowly overtakes the pain in his scarlet eyes.

In that moment, Uchiha Sasuke makes a promise to himself, one that would change the course of his entire life. _I will not run away. I will do anything to avenge my family. Anything at all._

He wipes his eyes and sniffs before quieting as his Sharingan fades away, and stares at the bodies of his dead parents emotionlessly. Or so it would seem to any outside observer, even though he is internally churning with anger and hatred and _betrayal_ as he thinks of his brother's last words.

This is how the Hokage finds him, an hour later, a lone child sitting in a pool of drying blood, staring with blank, empty eyes at the dead bodies of his parents.

* * *

Uchiha Sasuke's eyes narrowed as he walked through the streets of Konoha, otherwise ignoring the whispers of the villagers.

"Oh, look! It's the Uchiha boy, such a poor little thing."

"Did you hear? There are rumors that he was rescued by Hokage-sama himself!"

"I still can't believe it, Itachi was such a polite boy, who could've guessed he would've done such a thing?"

It had been a week already, a miserable week full of memories that just _wouldn't go away_, of everyone staring at him and Uchiha crest on his back with pity and false sympathy, of whispers following him everywhere he went. The scandal of the Uchiha Massacre hadn't faded yet, and it seemed that everywhere he went eyes would be openly staring at him, pitying him, judging him, scorning him.

Sasuke wished that the whispers would just _stop_. He wanted nothing more than to forget what had happened that night, but being bombarded with the truth every time he went out on the streets wasn't helping.

He tensed imperceptibly as he passed a particularly malevolent man, who whispered loudly, obviously wanting to be heard, "The Uchiha clan got what they deserved! Traitorous bastards getting killed by their own traitorous kin, serves them all right."

Sasuke shoved away his anger, and while on the outside he looks completely unaffected, he was fuming on the inside. But he should've been used to this by now, the constant attention, and he was trying to ignore the whispers when their tone changes abruptly, turning from a mix of pity and anger into a stream of cold hatred.

Whispers of a demon child began to snake through the streets like poison, and soon enough, everybody was wearing a frosty expression, staring coolly at something just ahead of him with poorly disguised hatred and disdain.

Sasuke couldn't help but look in that direction, and was somewhat surprised to see a pale boy, about his age, with bright, shaggy blond hair that hid most of his face walking through the streets in his direction. Sasuke had a faint impression of seeing this boy around before, though he couldn't quite remember where.

As they passed each other, the boy's head lifted a little, and surprisingly blue eyes met his for a second before they passed each other.

Sasuke was disoriented, not by the sight of his eyes, or the look of total determination on his soft, childish features, but by the total lack of resentment, or annoyance, or any negative emotion at all. Sasuke wondered, as he walked past the boy, what could possibly have made the villagers hate the seemingly innocent boy so much. Sasuke heard a lowly muttered name, one that he somehow _knew_ belonged to that boy.

_Uzumaki Naruto, huh?_

As he walked on, Uchiha Sasuke was no longer distracted by the whispers, and instead wore a contemplative look as he recalls the those vivid eyes, so understanding despite the hatred thrown at him.

* * *

Throughout next few weeks Sasuke was suddenly hearing the boy's name whispered everywhere. Among shopkeepers complaining about recent pranks, seemingly plain civilians going about their own business, and even a few shinobi...

Every time the name was uttered anywhere in his vicinity, he would never fail to pick up on it- no matter how hard he tried not to.

Eventually he gave up and focused on finding out more about the mysterious Uzumaki Naruto. Unfortunately, that was a rather hard task when he couldn't find the blond anywhere.

Asking was no help either. Sasuke had questioned a rather gullible looking chuunin about him, only to be faced with a one-eighty degree attitude change and a rather forceful suggestion to keep as far away from the "demon brat" as he possibly could.

All of which stirred Sasuke's legendary curiosity, and provided a welcome distraction from... _that _night.

So Uchiha Sasuke had been reduced to snooping around the (generally) non-shinobi sector of Konoha. And that was where he was now, listening in on a conversation between two civilian mothers.

"... can't believe the nerve of that boy, asking to play with my precious Yuzaki-chan! Everyone knows what he really is, so why doesn't that demon brat just stay away from us!"

"Mika-san! You know about Hokage-sama's law, so please don't say those things out loud!"

"Why not? Everyone says that, so why shouldn't I? Really, Kiko-chan, you should loosen up sometime. And besides, everyone already knows that the brat is the Kyuubi, so what does it matter?"

Dark eyes widened as Sasuke finally made the connections. _So that's why everyone calls him a demon! But... the Kyuubi... wasn't it killed eight years ago?_

As the women moved on to a safer topic of conversation, Sasuke sneaked away, mind whirring in confusion.

* * *

After doing some research in his clan's library, Sasuke was more confused than ever. All of the official books and records claimed that the nine tailed demon had died on that night (October tenth, if he remembered correctly), killed by the late Fourth Hokage. Yet, if that was the case, then were those women lying? Why would they do that? And even if they were, what about the rest of the village? And, now that he thought about it, what was the Hokage's law about?

Shaking his head, Sasuke convinced himself to just drop it. Obviously, whatever was going on with Uzumaki Naruto was some sort of secret, and whether what he heard was true or not, it was none of his business.

Besides, he was going to start going to the Academy again in a couple of days, so he needed to focus.

Sasuke spent the rest of the day meditating, clearing his mind of all unwanted distractions.

It didn't work.

* * *

_Mother!_

Sitting on the bank of the lake, a gentle smile on her beautiful features. Warm dark eyes beckoned for him. "Sasuke, why don't you join me?"

_No, all lies, it isn't real-_

Smiling widely, he exclaimed, "Kaa-san!"

_Stop! She's not real_, _she's dead they're all dead so just STOP!_

Jumping into her lap and wrapping his arms around her neck, he grinned, it was a dream- of course it was! Aniki would never do anything like that, he was so silly to even believe that for a second. And his mother was alive and-

_No, she's dead, Itachi is a traitor, its all because of him she's dead so stop this, please, not again-!_

Then she shoved him away, a little gasp escaping her mouth as the blade pierced through her body, and warm, sticky blood splashed his face.

_Red- so warm and red, and oh god was the sky turning red as well-_

He looked up, over his mother's shoulder and saw a cruel smile, crimson eyes glinting in the tainted light.

_YOU! You bastard, you traitor I thought I knew you you betrayed me you betrayed US traitortraitortraitorLIAR!_

"Miss me, otouto?"

_How could you do this to us I thought you loved us we were your FAMILY!_

A broken murmur, "Aniki?"

_No! he's not my aniki he would NEVER never never never do this not aniki- MY ANIKI IS _DEAD_!_

Casually drawing the blade out of their mother's chest, Itachi took a step back as she fell forward. Another spray of blood from her chest, staining the clear water of the lake red.

_Deaddeaddead all dead my mother is dead my brother is dead_ I _am dead._

Redness spreading over the clear surface of the lake until it was a pool of sparkling crimson liquid, the stained green grass providing a morbid contrast.

_Red... red is blood and betrayal and hatred and _death. _Red... I HATE RED!_

"Isn't it beautiful, Sasuke?"

_...?_

"So beautiful... You'd almost want to _drown _in it..."

_What... No! DON'T! Please, please, oh god no not like him nonononoNO!_

A cold hand wrapping around his neck, dragging him closer and closer and _closer_...

_MOVE! DAMMIT! WHY CAN'T I MOVE? NO!_

His head was forced into the warm liquid, and he couldn't help but gasp as his face breached the surface. Blood immediately surged into his mouth and all he could register was a slightly salty, metallic taste and-

He was choking.

_Move! Do something, anything! I just... have to..._

And then he was drifting, spiralling down in a sea of red.

* * *

Sasuke woke up screaming.

Tears streaking down his cheeks, drenched with sweat, he forced himself to swallow down the bile rising in his throat.

Slowly, he managed to calm himself down, hyperventilation dying down to slow, ragged breaths.

Slipping out of his fuuton and standing up on shaky legs, Sasuke made his way to the bathroom.

Forehead pressed against the wall of the shower, listening to the rhythmic sound of water pounding his back, the Uchiha allowed himself a sarcastic smile.

It had been a week since the nightmares started, and he still had this same reaction every time.

Pathetic.

Although it had been much, much worse the first time. He'd been avoiding the truth of what'd happened that night, and the nightmare was like a sharp slap in the face, waking him up to the harsh reality- and the promise he'd made that night.

Shame washed over him at the reminder that he'd been ignoring his oath- his obligation to his family- for such a long time.

_But I won't forget again,_ Sasuke reminded himself. _I will train twice as hard as Itachi ever did, and I will surpass him and avenge my family!_

Face set, he stepped out of the shower, wrapped a towel around himself, and padded back to his room.

As he got dressed and cleaned the sheets he noted that it was only five in the morning- early, but when compared to the rest of his waking times for the past week, it was pretty late.

_No use in going back to sleep, then. I might as well start training now._

He drifted to the Uchiha training grounds and began.

* * *

Sasuke buried his head in his arms, wincing at the ridiculously high pitched sounds of a few screeching girls nearby.

They'd been doing that more and more with each passing day, and he still wasn't quite sure why. Though he'd caught his name in their arguments a few times, and had decided that he really didn't want to know.

As the screeching gradually faded into background noise, Sasuke found himself dozing off. He snapped awake, though, at the telltale slam of the screen doors that signified Iruka-sensei's arrival.

He was pretty young- only about eighteen years old, mused Sasuke, but he was a pretty good teacher, if somewhat inexperienced.

Sasuke quickly realized that sensei's usual footsteps, however, were followed by shorter, lighter steps.

_A child, around my age,_ Sasuke guessed.

Looking up, he saw that he was right. A boy dressed in ragged clothing was fidgeting at the front of the classroom. He was looking downwards, playing with his shirt.

_He seems... familiar?_

Then the boy looked up, sky blue eyes locking with his.

Sasuke barely held back a gasp. It was Uzumaki Naruto.

He'd all but forgotten about the enigmatic boy in the past week due to his nightmares, but now the questions he had about the boy came back full-force.

"Now, class, as you might have noticed, we are having a new student joining us today."

Sasuke frowned at the distaste in his tone. _Even him..._

This time when Iruka spoke, he was addressing the Uzumaki. "Introduce yourself. Your name, likes, dislikes... and your birthday."

Uzumaki Naruto grinned. "Okay! My name's Naruto, I like orange, ramen and pranks, and I don't dislike anything!"

Sasuke nearly face vaulted. _This _was the kid everyone thought was the Kyuubi? Idiots, the lot of them. The kid was way too disgustingly cheerful to be a demon, or anything even remotely close to one.

"And I was born on October tenth!"

_October tenth? Why does that sound so familiar? Wait... wasn't that the day when..._

_Oh shit._

* * *

**So... explanations, explanations.**

**First off, the Massacre. Sasuke was as good as unconscious when Itachi left him, and he does not remember anything Itachi doesn't want him to.**

**The Sharingan- Sasuke does not know he's activated it yet, and even if he did, he wouldn't have enough chakra at this age to use it for any significant amount of time. So no worries.**

**As for trying to forget about the massacre- well, personally, I think Sasuke might've done that for a while. After all, no eight-year-old kid could have his entire family slaughtered by his idolized brother and want to think about it afterwards. I think it's more likely that he'd try to suppress the memories, which are way to traumatizing for any kid to deal with, until a long enough time passes for him to deal with it- or something happens that forces him to remember. In my story it was the latter, with the nightmares.**

**Speaking of nightmares- Sasuke says that his aniki is dead because the aniki he knew disappeared the night of the Massacre. Sasuke is refusing to see his aniki and Uchiha Itachi as the same person, and thinks his aniki died that night, leaving a stranger in his place.**

**Also, Sasuke's personality will be different from in canon, because, remember- he's only eight now, he's just come to terms with the death of his family, and he hasn't yet had time to distance himself from everyone and create the cool, indifferent mask for himself that you see when he was in Team Seven (Although even that mask started to crack...). Of course, he will still have a radically different attitude than before the massacre.**

**And... I think that's about it. If you find any errors or plot holes I missed, feel free to tell me about it.**

**So, R&R, people and tell me what you think of this story so far!**


	2. Chapter 2

**First of all, I'd like to thank those of you who ****reviewed. Seeing positive feedback really inspired me to write another chapter! So, thank you, TKM, Narutopokefan, and guest! This chapter is dedicated to you guys!**

**Also, as for guest's question- well, you'll find out by reading this chapter!  
**

**Go ahead and knock yourselves out!**

* * *

_"Do you have... somebody precious to you?" -Haku_

* * *

The first important thing Naruto learns about himself comes in the form of a realization that strikes him years ago, after an angry mother roughly knocks him away from her child.

_(You! Demon! Stay away from my daughter!)_

He watches, bewildered, as she lets other children play with her daughter with an encouraging smile on her face.

As he watches them play, it strikes him like a bolt of lightning. _I'm not like them. I'm not... normal._

The realization depresses him, and yet at the same time it makes so much sense. He_ isn't_ normal. He's different. He's not like the other children. That must be why he's treated so harshly, scorned, excluded, and beaten for no apparent reason. So his new question appears- _How can I make them think I'm normal?__  
_

He tries a lot of things. He tries ignoring them, insulting them back, and just glaring at them. None of those work. If anything, they just make things worse.

_(Look at me, demon! Are you so cowardly you can't even look at us?)_

_(How dare you! Such words from a filthy beast like you... You deserve to die!)_

_(You monster! Looking at us like that when you're the one who...)_

Eventually he stops trying.

But Naruto is depressed. No one likes him, the adults are all mean to him. Except for the old man, which he is immensely grateful for, but ojii-san is the Hokage. He can't spend much time with Naruto, only dropping in for visits once or twice a month.

To fight off the sadness and loneliness, Naruto starts acting happy. He isn't quite sure why, but it seems to fool everyone else. And eventually, it starts to fool himself as well. Naruto likes being happy, even if it is just an act. So he keeps the act.

But even the fake happiness is starting to fade. Because Naruto wants a friend. Desperately. Someone he could talk to and spend time with.

Everyone else has friends. Naruto wants one too.

_(All I wanted... was to have a friend.)_

* * *

When Naruto heard that he was going to change classes and finally be with kids his own age, he was really excited. After all, maybe if his classmates weren't all older than him, he'd have an easier time making a friend!

So when his new sensei asked him to introduce himself, he made sure to smile really big and do just that. But after he finished his introduction... that quiet, dark haired kid in the back seemed really surprised. His eyes widened and he made a strange little noise.

_Weird kid, _he thought absently.

Naruto was pretty sure that no one else noticed the noise, though.

"Now, Naruto... Go sit next to Sasuke-kun." The scarred teacher pointed at the empty seat next to the dark haired kid.

_So his name is Sasuke? Huh._

Naruto all but skipped up to Sasuke's desk. Plopping down in the chair next to him, he exclaimed, "Hi, Sasuke! My name's Uzumaki Naruto, nice 'ta meetcha!"

Sasuke glanced at him. "Hn. I already know what your name is, idiot."

"Eh?! Oh, that's right! I already introduced myself! Well then... what's your last name, Sasuke?"

"...Uchiha. Uchiha Sasuke."

"Okay! So... um, Sasuke...?"

"Just spit it out, Uzumaki."

"Hey! That was mean, you bastard!"

"Hn."

Naruto swallowed his nervousness and prepared himself for a harsh rejection. "So, anyway, what I want to say is... wanna be friends?"

He knew Sasuke would say no, but at least he could say he'd tried, right?

Needless to say, he was stunned when Sasuke finally turned to fully face him and said, "That depends."

The blond couldn't quite squash down the hope that rose up inside him. "Really?! On what?!"

The Uchiha merely smirked infuriatingly at him. "I'll tell you tomorrow."

His hopes immediately vanished. By tomorrow, it would be too late. Sasuke would've told his parents about him, and they would ban him from ever talking to him again. By tomorrow, Sasuke would be just like the others.

"Oh," He smiled, trying not to look too sad. "Okay, then."

He looked away from Sasuke's curious eyes and stared down at his desk.

It would be a long day, sitting next to the person who he _knew_ could've been his friend.

* * *

The next day at school, Naruto braced himself as he sat down gingerly next to Sasuke. He studied his desk again, trying to ignore the piercing stare aimed at the back of his head.

There was a little heart at the corner of his desk, he noted. Looking closer, he saw that it had the letters, H.S.+U.S. carved within it. _Weird,_ he thought distractedly.

Taking note of all the other scratches and scuff marks on the desk, he got more and more bored and fidgety as the intensity of the stare increased. It was almost suffocating.

Finally he snapped. Spinning around and pinning a glare at the raven, he snapped, "What the hell do you want, bastard?"

Sasuke smiled sarcastically at him. "To be your friend, of course. Or did you forget about your question yesterday?"

Naruto's heart nearly stopped.

He bit his lip and turned a fragile blue stare at the Uchiha. "Really? Do you really mean that?"

Sasuke looked offended. "Of course. I don't say things I don't mean."

Tears welled up in Naruto's eyes. Ignoring Sasuke's alarmed look, he threw his arms around the raven and bawled.

In that moment, Uzumaki Naruto was happier than he'd ever been in his life.

Even if he did get himself and Sasuke a detention for disrupting the class.

* * *

"Ne, ne, Sasuke! Where are we going?"

The Uchiha spun around and pinned him with a glare. "Shut up and follow me, idiot. You'll see when we get there."

Naruto quieted and followed meekly behind the other boy. Despite what Sasuke had said, Naruto was still wary. After all, this was the first time in his eight years that anyone had accepted to be his friend. Whether that friendship lasted was yet to be seen. So he tried his best not to be too annoying so Sasuke would keep being his friend.

Lost in his thoughts, Naruto jumped a little when he heard Sasuke declare, "We're here."

Naruto gaped as he looked around.

A gigantic oriental gate towered above him, great stone walls emblazoned with red and white fan symbols stretched out from both sides of the gate. Past the gate he could see a vast central clearing sprawled before him with a main road that branched off to the doors of the building surrounding the clearing.

The building was shaped rather like a large, upside-down "U" shape, he noted absently.

"Naruto! Are you coming with me or are you going to stand there and stare all day?"

Blinking as he realized Sasuke was already halfway down the road, the blond hurried to catch up with him. "Is this your house? It's so big!"

Dark eyebrows drew together, confused. "No it's not."

"Are you kidding me?! It's a thousand times larger than my apartment!"

The other boy snorted. "Of course it is. This is the Uchiha Compound, after all."

"Ha! So you admit it's big!"

Looking around the compound with new eyes, Sasuke admitted, "... I guess it is somewhat large."

Grabbing Naruto by the wrist, Sasuke led him away from the house. They passed several other, smaller buildings as Sasuke dragged him to wherever he wanted to show him.

"Here."

A training ground. Immense and yet elegant at the same time, like everything in the compound seemed to be, it was any ninja's dream come true.

A sand pit, training weights and dummies, a large clearing, various weapons littered all over the place, and even a small lake with a waterfall!

And that was only just scratching at the surface. There were various other strange contraptions Naruto wasn't quite sure how to use, but Sasuke led him past all of those and to the clearing.

"Spar with me."

Naruto needed no further encouragement. He grinned and charged.

* * *

Naruto's ribs hurt. His arms and legs hurt. Hell, even his _brain _hurt.

Kami, he regretted charging at Sasuke like that. The other boy had completely destroyed him with a few quick, well aimed hits. Naruto had gotten back up of course, but it still hurt like hell. He'd attacked Sasuke again and again, but the Uchiha easily defeated him each time.

Finally, the raven had snarled at him to just stay still and listen to him, dammit, punctuated by a quick jab that left his left arm feeling numb.

What followed was a long winded, complicated, and _boring _explanation about stance, angle, and a whole bunch of other mumbo jumbo.

Sasuke finally stopped, exasperated, as Naruto got more and more confused with each word. "I guess it's better if I just showed you," He'd said.

Sasuke's way of _showing_ was horrible and painful. First he made Naruto do a series of long, precise, and complicated katas. Every time Naruto got something wrong, he would hit the blond back into a proper position. When he was finally satisfied, Naruto was allowed to take a break- just ten short minutes to rest and drink up.

Still, Naruto didn't complain. Sasuke was trying to help him, and despite the various bruises and cuts that littered his body, Sasuke's method was effective. After all, pain was a great motivator for him to do better.

"Get up," Sasuke's voice cut through his relaxation like a steel knife. "Time's up."

"Aww. Can't I sit just a little longer?" It was a rhetorical question. He knew Sasuke would never agree.

Standing up delicately, Naruto got into the proper stance.

Dark eyes carefully appraised him, finally nodding when he was satisfied. "Good. Now, we spar."

It wasn't really sparring. Sasuke was obviously still way better, and he was still kinda teaching the other boy. Every time Naruto left a gap in his defenses, Sasuke would give him a quick jab there, painful but not as deadly as it could've been. Whenever the blond made an attack that was too obvious or a misjudged strike, Sasuke would poke him. Amazingly (or horribly) enough, Sasuke even _poked _hard.

But slowly, bit by bit, Naruto was learning.

As they hit and dodged and danced around each other, Naruto realized that he was smiling.

_This is actually kinda fun!_

He met Sasuke's eyes and tried to convey... whatever he was feeling. There was no reaction, but then Naruto noticed the other boy's lips twitch slightly.

He grinned even wider and a warm feeling rose in his chest.

_Is this... what friendship feels like?_

* * *

He was lying sprawled at the edge of the training field, underneath the shade of a Katsura tree, Sasuke sitting in a more dignified position at his side.

The Uchiha had been training with him every day after school for almost a week now, and despite the constant soreness that accompanied him each day, Naruto could _feel_ himself improving. Even Sasuke had reluctantly admitted that he was a fast learner.

Smiling to himself at the peace and quiet, he almost drifted to sleep.

But it was a bit _too _quiet. Konoha was never like this. Even in the darkest, most out of the way alleys, there was always some noise. Be it the quiet, almost silent footsteps of ninjas on his roof, the loud laughter of children playing, or the usual civilian banter on the streets.

But in the Uchiha district... Everything was silent. There wasn't a sound to be heard. No footsteps, no laughter, no voices at all. Even the rushing of the little waterfall and the birds' chirping seemed to be muted. It made Naruto uneasy.

"Ne, Sasuke... where's your family? You've never introduced me to them, and I haven't seen them around either." It was a subject Naruto had been rather reluctant to bring up. He was afraid the second Sasuke's parents saw him, he'd be forced away. But the almost eerie quiet in the large house bothered him a lot, too. Was Sasuke's family on a really long mission? Were they kidnapped? Or maybe... was Sasuke an orphan like himself? He had to know.

"...My family is dead. They were all killed two months ago." Sasuke's voice wasn't angry or cold or even sad. It was just... blank.

Naruto was shocked. That must be the most horrible thing that could ever happen to anyone!

How could Sasuke speak of the death of his family so detachedly? If Naruto had a family, he'd be devastated if they died.

Sasuke met his eyes, blank orbs suddenly intense. "That's why I'm training you, Naruto. So you can help me avenge their deaths."

Oh...! So that was why Sasuke trained him so harshly and urgently each day. That was probably why Sasuke wanted to be his friend.

But Naruto didn't feel disappointed. He was elated. Sasuke had saved him from his loneliness, had given him what no one else would. Because of that, Naruto would do anything for Sasuke. He would jump off a cliff for Sasuke, if that was what the raven wanted.

Naruto stared up into the sky, determination burning in his gaze.

_I swear, Sasuke... I won't let you down! I'll find the person who killed your family and I'll give him what he deserves! It's the promise of a lifetime!_

And so on that day, instead of swearing to become the Hokage, Uzumaki Naruto made an oath for revenge.

* * *

**What do you guys think?**

**In case you're curious- Sasuke's reasons for this will be explained in the next chapter. As well as a few other things, and you'll be able to see a little of overprotective!Sasuke as well. Look forward to it!**

**Remember, reviews inspired me to write this chapter, and they'll motivate me to write the next!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Thank you to everyone who reviewed! Your comments always make my day. And also, the people who followed or favorited it? Thank you so much!**

**And for my American readers- Happy Independence Day! Hope you enjoy the fireworks!**

**Well, back to Sasuke's POV in this chappie. Enjoy!**

* * *

_"My only goal in life... is revenge." - Uchiha Sasuke_

* * *

Uchiha Sasuke has a lot of thinking to do.

_(Hi, Sasuke! My name is Uzumaki Naruto.)_

He confronts the Hokage the second he is released from the Academy, intent on getting some answers. Finally, he gets the Hokage to give him a straight answer after some promises, insults, and a _lot_ of guilt-tripping.

_(Naruto is not the demon. He is merely it's host, the jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi no Kitsune.)_

The raven is not surprised, not really. No demon could be as stupidly naive and _innocent _as Naruto proves to be.

_(Wanna be friends?)_

With one simple sentence, the blond has Sasuke convinced that he isn't the demon. The hesitation and vulnerability and _fear_ as he utters those words... It is something undeniably human.

_But what should I say?_

Closing his eyes and considering all his options, Sasuke pushes all prejudices, opinions, and emotions away. He forces himself to be purely analytical, cold and emotionless and willing to see all the options.

_(Just like _he _was.)_

Just over half an hour later, he opens his eyes.

Sasuke is going to say yes.

There is really no point in refusing, and besides, he might make an enemy of the Kyuubi jinchuuriki, who is apparently the most powerful of them all.

And Sasuke has so much to gain by accepting.

Itachi's voice echoes dully in his mind.

_(...You must kill your closest friend.)_

"Mangekyou Sharingan," Sasuke breathes.

The first step to gaining it. All Sasuke would have to do was accept the offer, and become friends with the childish, trusting blond.

It wouldn't be hard to do, he admits. The Uzumaki is rather likable despite his idiocy- bright, bold, brave and so very _honest. _And after what Itachi did, it is probably the quality he'd value most in a friend.

And even if he decides to spare the other boy, having a jinchuuriki as an ally would be extremely useful against _him_. After all, even Itachi could not possibly stand against the might of a demon.

So Sasuke's real question is, once he becomes Naruto's friend, what is he going to do with him? Would he kill Naruto when he becomes his closest friend? Or would he keep him and train him to help kill Itachi? Did Sasuke even need help? Could he really do it on his own?

As much as it hurts his pride to admit it, Sasuke knows that he probably can't. Itachi is a genius after all, and he has so much of a head start. It would be nearly impossible to surpass him. And despite his own confidence that he could, Sasuke isn't about to hinge his clan's revenge on a mere assumption.

It would all depend on Naruto, Sasuke decided. If the blond proved himself to be stronger than the Mangekyou Sharingan could make him, Sasuke would keep him and shape him as his ultimate weapon.

And if not... well, that would be too bad for the blond.

* * *

Three months. Sasuke had been training Naruto for three months. Taijutsu, shurikenjutsu, basic chakra exercises.

The blond really was a fast learner, he mused.

When the Uchiha first started training Naruto, he was appalled. The blond's stance, movements, even the way he punched- it was all completely wrong. It was obvious no one could get so many ridiculous inaccuracies by themselves. No, Naruto's taijutsu had been taught by his former academy sensei. Taught so horribly, it was almost as if-

Almost as if they _wanted_ him to die.

Even Umino Iruka- when he told Naruto to say his birthday, it was not an accident. It was deliberate. Telling Naruto to go sit next to Sasuke when there were so many other seats told him everything he needed to know. Umino had seen his reaction. He'd wanted him to treat Naruto badly.

Well, too bad for the prejudiced idiot. Sasuke had told the Hokage what he'd done, as well as the actions of Naruto's former sensei. They'd both been fired. Now his academy instructor was a man named Mizuki, whom he liked no more than Umino. There was something deceptive about him, and no matter how nicely he treated Sasuke and Naruto (undoubtedly he'd heard how his predecessor got fired), Sasuke didn't trust him.

Throughout all of this, Naruto remained unaware. All he knew was that his new sensei had been fired a few days after he joined the class, and that a new one took his place.

_He's much too trusting, _Sasuke frowned to himself. It made it much easier for him to manipulate the idiot, but he didn't need to- or even _want _to- do that. Naruto was completely devoted to him, one glance at those striking blue eyes would be enough to confirm it. Manipulating people was also too much like Itachi for his comfort. No, Sasuke preferred to be blunt and honest.

Besides, _trusting_ made it easier for others to manipulate the blond jinchuuriki as well. And Sasuke definitely didn't want that.

"Sasuke?"

Opening his eyes, Sasuke allowed himself a small smile as he looked at the blond. Naruto really was starting to grow on him.

"What do you want, idiot?"

Of course, that didn't mean Sasuke was going to be any nicer to him. After all, it was fun teasing the other boy.

"Hey! I _told_ you not to call me that! I'm almost as good as you in taijutsu now!"

His tone dripping with sarcasm, the raven drawled, "Of _course_ you are."

"You bastard! What's that supposed to mean?!"

Snickering, Sasuke stood up and offered a hand to the other boy. "Come on. We should be going home. Unless you still remember what you wanted to tell me about?"

"Uh... I think I forgot."

"Uh-huh. And you blame _me_ for calling you an idiot?"

"Teme!"

* * *

Something had been bothering Sasuke lately. Every time he'd bring up Naruto's house, the other boy would shy away and avoid the subject. The raven realized that Naruto never invited Sasuke over, not even once. Why? Was the jinchuuriki hiding something from him?

Sasuke was never one to sit around and wait. So, he decided, he would confront the blond about it.

"Ne, Naruto." A single dark eye opened blearily to regard the other boy.

Naruto blinked. "Huh?"

"Show me where you live."

"_What?_ Where did that come from, bastard?!"

"Well, you never let me visit your house... But I let you stay at mine all the time, and it's not fair. You're really mean, Naruto."

"Ack! Okay, okay! I'll show you, okay, just don't _look_ at me like that!"

Sasuke snickered. That puppy eyed look had always worked on his female family members (except his mother, much to his dismay). He'd recently found out that it worked on Naruto as well. So far, the blond junchuuriki had never been able to say no to what Shisui had once dubbed as his "Uchibi" face. Naruto claimed it was just because Sasuke looked really creepy, but the Uchiha begged to differ.

"You are _such _a pushover, moron."

"S-shut up! That face totally creeps me out, okay?!"

"Hn."

"It's true! You really freak me out, I don't think it looks cute or anything!"

_"Uzumaki," _was uttered in a dark tone.

"Um... Sasuke? Are you okay?"

"I am an _Uchiha._ And Uchihas are not _cute."_

"Wahh! I'm sorry okay? Sorry, sorry! I'll never call you cute again!"

Snorting, Sasuke got off the blonde and declared smugly, "Like I said- pushover."

After some persuasion and a lot of bickering, Sasuke forced the Uzumaki to show him the apartment.

_If it could even be called that_, Sasuke thought, repulsed at he scanned the place.

Cracks in the stained, dilapidated walls, junk all over the place. A single tiny, dirty bed with broken springs. No furniture besides the old, patched up sofa with stuffing spilling out. And Sasuke _knew _that wasnt all.

"_This _is where you live, baka?"

Naruto scowled ferociously, a mortified blush staining his cheeks. "You're the one who wanted to see it so badly! Just because your house is so big-"

"You'll be living with me from now on." The Uchiha cut in.

"-doesn't mean you can just! Wait, what?! Live in your big ass house? _Forever?_ Not that I'm complaining or anything, but... What about the landlord? I haven't even paid this month's rent yet!"

Sasuke smiled, a dangerous look settling in his eyes. "Don't worry, Naruto. I'll take care of him."

After a certain indignant blond was ushered away from the "apartment", Sasuke grinned maliciously. He'd finally get a chance to try out those intimidation techniques he'd read about.

Tortured screams and sobs were heard from Uzumaki Naruto's apartment that day. But the strange thing was, it didn't quite sound like the pleas of an eight year old boy. In fact, for some reason it sounded more like the screams of a grown man...

* * *

The Hokage wasn't quite happy about having his psuedo-grandchild living with the Last Uchiha. He was suspicious of Sasuke, the raven knew it. Hiruzen Sarutobi was extremely distrustful of the young Uchiha. After all, why would the Last Uchiha, with so much money, fame, and popularity befriend the poor orphaned Uzumaki? Since he knew the truth about the boy... Power, no doubt.

He was right to have those suspicions. But that didn't matter. Konoha's Inner Council favored Sasuke. As long as Sasuke let them believe they had him leashed, they would support him. Do their best to gain the boy's favor.

They wanted to raise the Last Uchiha and the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki as Konoha's loyal weapons, and what better way than to kill two birds with one stone? The two boys were already inseparable, and it was obvious the Uzumaki was wholly devoted to his friend. So as long as the council had Sasuke's loyalty, they would have the jinchuuriki's as well.

Sasuke knew that, and he used it to his advantage. So now, despite his age, Uchiha Sasuke was the legal guardian of Uzumaki Naruto, also known as the jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi no Kitsune.

* * *

Nightmares. They came every night.

Sasuke would always wake up panting and screaming. Luckily, Naruto was a heavy sleeper but... Sasuke knew the blond would find out one day.

As it turned out, that day would be today.

They'd been training, as usual, when Naruto brought up the subject. "Hey, Sasuke! Why are you so tired?"

The Uchiha blinked. He hadn't been that obvious, had he?

As if reading his mind, the jinchuuriki added, "You're really pale, more bastardish than usual, and you always seem worn out these days. What's wrong?"

Huh. Sasuke hadn't realized his companion was so observant. He was more tired these days- the nightmares had been getting progressively worse, if that was even possible. Avoiding the subject, he sighed. "Bastardish is not a word, Naruto."

"It is if I say it is! Bastard! You think you're so... Wait! Bastard! I know what you're trying to do! It won't work! Answer me, dammit!"

The raven winced. God, had Naruto's voice really been that loud before? It seemed almost amplified these days. "I'm fine, idiot."

Naruto scowled at him, unsatisfied, but let it go.

Only not really.

That night, for the first time, Sasuke woke up in the middle of his dream.

"...uke! Sasuke! Wake up, dammit!"

Panicked blue eyes above him, and Sasuke squeezed his eyes shut. He curled in on himself, shuddering. Faintly he could register Naruto's alarmed yelp and frantic words, but he paid them no mind.

_Dead. They were all dead. He was alone._

Shaking and sobbing to himself, Sasuke froze at the sudden warmth that enveloped him. He opened his eyes, staring dully in to deep ocean blues.

"I'm here, Sasuke... don't worry... You're safe, Sasuke." A soft mantra repeated over and over in his ears.

Slowly Sasuke relaxed. The soft murmurs, the arms wrapped around him, the warmth...

_It almost felt like..._

* * *

The next morning, Naruto merely grinned goofily at the raven and dressed for the day. Neither of them said a word about last night.

And every night after that, Naruto would silently join Sasuke at night.

Sasuke never complained. After all, the nightmares had stopped.

_Why? After so long, why now? What changed?_

It was one night, when Naruto clambered onto his bed, the usual silly grin on his face, that Sasuke realized what he'd known all along.

_It's_ him._ Naruto makes the nightmares go away._

* * *

Today Sasuke told Naruto the truth. About the Kyuubi no Kitsune, the Yondaime, and what really happened eight years ago.

Naruto was shocked, understandably, but then he became afraid. Sasuke was bewildered. Why would he be scared? Didn't he make sure that Naruto knew he was just a jinchuuriki, not the demon itself? So... why would he be so terrified?

"Sasuke... do you hate me, too?" The question came out of nowhere.

_So that's why._ Sasuke shook his head. Really, Naruto was so stupid sometimes.

"Baka!" He snaps. "Of course I don't. I'm not like those other retarded people who only see you as a demon. I know you, Naruto, and you're just a stupid, annoying idiot. You're no demon. So why in the world would I hate you?"

Naruto smiles, not one of those ridiculous grins, but a real sincere smile. "Thanks... bastard."

The raven scowled, a faint blush on his pale cheeks. "Hn. Just don't say anything stupid like that again. You know I'd never hate you."

"Yeah... 'cause we're friends, right?"

Trusting blue eyes looked up at him, and Sasuke felt a familiar rush of warmth. He was about to smile when it hit him like lightning.

Dark eyes widened, and suddenly Sasuke felt faint. "Yes..."

_Naruto, you've become... my closest friend._

* * *

**Mwahaha, I'm evil.**

**Well, this chapter is mostly filler. **

**Also, in this chapter, you get to see more of this Sasuke's personality. He hates people who aren't honest, and once somebody gets in his bad book, he doesn't give them a second chance. He gets rid of them right away, like you saw with Iruka.**

**He knows he's the last Uchiha, and he won't hesitate to take advantage of that fact. But don't think the Council will bend to his every demand. They will try to keep him satisfied, but the second they feel he's not, they will forcibly chain him to Konoha.**

**And Sasuke is already doing things behind Naruto's back. He believes Naruto is innocent, and wants to keep him that way. But he won't outright lie to him, not unless he absolutely has to. After all, Sasuke hates liars.**

**Well, remember, guys! I live off of reviews!**


	4. Chapter 4

**As always, thank you everyone for the wonderful reviews! It makes me so happy to know that people actually like my story. *Wipes away tears* **

**Vital information for this chapter (In case you didn't notice the title of this chapter): **

**_THIS IS AFTER A TWO YEAR TIMESKIP! THAT MEANS THAT NARUTO AND SASUKE ARE TEN YEARS OLD IN THIS CHAPTER!_**

**With that out of the way- let's begin!**

* * *

_"Didn't you know? Women have to be strong in order to survive!" - Haruno Sakura_

* * *

Naruto still isn't quite sure what happened on that night. One second Sasuke is trying to kill him, the sharp pain of betrayal far outweighing the press of the kunai against his neck. The next...

He can only recall flashes.

A terrifying haze of red over his vision, and beyond that...

Terrified screams, the sickening crunch of bones breaking... and blood. Lots and lots of blood.

_(No! Please, no don't! Just kill me, please, don't harm my-!)_

_(CRUNCH!)_

_(Demon! I knew we should've killed you when-)_

_(SMASH!)_

_(P-please... I don't want to die!)_

_(BAM!)_

It is by far the worst night of his life.

Naruo is powerless, unable to control even his own body... afterwards, they tell him that it is because the demon took over.

The Hokage grimly informs him that he is very lucky. Apparently some guy named Yamato had been nearby at the time, and that is the only reason they'd been able to restrain him.

If that guy hadn't been there... the Third never outright says it, but Naruto understands the implications. If they hadn't been able to restrain him... the Hokage would've killed Naruto himself.

The realization makes him numb.

Naruto doesn't remember much else that night.

The next morning, Sasuke is in his room. He is crying. Naruto remembers being faintly surprised- he'd never seen Sasuke cry before. Not even after that horrible nightmare.

_(Naruto! I'm so sorry...)_

_(I was only trying to reach the Kyuubi... I had no idea-!)_

_(Naruto... You know I'd never betray you, right?)_

_(...)_

_(...Do you hate me?)_

Despite the pain and guilt and horrible aching in his body, Naruto forgives the raven. Sasuke is his friend, after all. His first, best, and only friend. So even if Sasuke _did_ betray him...

_(I could never hate you, Sasuke.)_

* * *

October tenth. Naruto's birthday. Or, as it was more commonly known, the day of the Kyuubi festival.

It was also one of Naruto's least favorite days of the year. When he was little, he used to get beaten on that day. Of course the ANBU would always save him, but never before he got some rather painful injuries. As he grew older, Naruto learned not to venture outside on that day. Even so, a few drunken villagers would always stumble to his home and, if he was lucky, smash a few windows.

The abuse on that day stopped after he moved in with Sasuke, but...

Naruto shook his head. He was being stupid. Well, the bastard claimed that he was always being stupid but- Argh! The bastard even managed to insult him in his thoughts!

Soft footsteps were approaching behind him. Naruto didn't turn, he knew that familiar gait very well. _Speak of the devil,_ he thought in annoyance.

"Naruto."

"What do you want, bastard?" He snapped. Usually Sasuke knew to leave him alone when he was like this.

The Uchiha gracefully sat down beside him. "Happy birthday, dobe."

"Teme! I _told_ you not to call me that! You're the one who came up with the genius plan for me to pose as dead last!"

His only response was a slightly raised brow. "Happy birthday, dobe."

"You-! Wait... did you just say...?"

The Uchiha avoided his gaze and roughly shoved something into Naruto's hands.

A present. Rather messily wrapped with plain white paper and- to Naruto's delight- a bright orange ribbon. "But..."

"I know it's not really a good day for you... but I wanted to give you a present."

Naruto stared. Sasuke hadn't given him a present last year, so why now?

Exhaling sharply, Naruto glared at his friend. "You don't have to feel guilty."

Blazing Sharingan eyes glared right back at him. "I'm not!"

Naruto was having none of it. "Look, even your Sharingan is on. Don't deny it."

The raven down, dark bangs hiding his eyes. "Fine. Maybe I do feel guilty. What are you going to do about it?"

"It doesn't matter anymore, okay?! It happened almost a year ago, so just forget about it!"

Enraged red eyes glared at him from the shadows, the two tomoe in each eye spinning wildly. _"Forget? _How can I forget what I did that day? I tried to kill my best friend, and ended up releasing a demon. Maybe _you_ aren't sure what happened that night, but I saw _everything._ I awakened my Sharingan that night. Those images... I can never forget them.

"Do you have any idea how it feels? To see all the carnage, the screams, the death... and to know that you were the one who caused it? I was so foolish to think that I could control the Kyuubi itself! ...There were so many innocent people who died that night. And it was all my fault. How can you expect me not to feel anything?!"

Naruto stared, horrified, into spinning crimson eyes. He'd no idea Sasuke felt that way. After what had been deemed as the Kyuubi Massacre, he and Sasuke avoided talking about that night as much as possible. Naruto knew Sasuke still felt responsible for what happened but... he had no idea it affected his friend that badly.

He pushed himself to say something, _anything,_ when-

Sasuke chuckled darkly. "I guess I really am just like my brother, huh?"

Blue eyes widened. "No, Sasuke! You are _nothing _like him!"

"Oh, really? Tell me, what was so different about what we did!"

"Itachi... he killed those people on purpose! He did it with his own hands, knowing that they would die! But you had no idea, Sasuke! Sure, you may have been the one to set me off, but you didn't know I'd lose control like that! You didn't know that so many people would die that night! What happened... it wasn't anybody's fault, got it?!"

The Uchiha blinked slowly, Sharingan fading into black. "I... thank you, Naruto."

Naruto knew his friend still wasn't entirely convinced, but at least it was a start. The blond grinned, trying to diffuse the solemn atmosphere. "No problem! Whenever you need help, just call on the great Uzumaki Naruto!"

The raven cracked a smile. "Well, dobe, what are you waiting for? Open it."

It took Naruto a while to figure out what the other boy was talking about. "Oh! Right, the present!"

He ripped it open, taking care not to harm the orange ribbon. A dark blue box was left, a single large Uchiha fan printed proudly on the top. Holding his breath, Naruto opened the box.

"Ehh?! Sasuke, you bastard! My first birthday gift ever, and you get me _this_?!"

The incredulous blond all but shoved the box in Sasuke's face.

Inside the box laid a pair of plain, elbow length fingerless black gloves. Sure, they were pretty cool, but Naruto had expected something _flashier_ for his birthday.

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Just put it on, dobe."

Said dobe growled. "It'd better be good, you bastard."

The gloves fit perfectly. Naruto was surprised. He was positive that the gloves had way been bigger just a few seconds ago. Glancing questioningly at the Uchiha, he was rewarded with a short, unsatisfying answer.

"They'll always fit."

The raven refused to further clarify on the subject. _Probably because he doesn't know either, _Naruto snickered to himself.

Sasuke scoffed. "Now, channel some chakra to your hands."

The blond blinked and did just that. "Woah!"

Three wicked blades immediately extended from the knuckle of the glove, seemingly appearing out of nowhere. Naruto stopped the chakra flow, and the blades immediately withdrew, melting smoothly back into the black fabric of the gloves.

_Retractable claws!_

He experimented some more, and found that he could control the length of the claws as well, depending on how much chakra he put in his hands.

Unable to stop the wicked grin that appeared on his face, Naruto declared, _"That_ is fucking cool."

"Hn."

He grinned at the other boy. "Thanks, Sasuke! I never should've doubted you! You're the best bastard ever!"

"How flattering," The raven smirked back nonetheless. "I heard those blades can channel chakra. You might want to experiment with that later."

And with that, the Uchiha left the room, screen door sliding shut behind him.

Naruto blinked. "Huh? Wait, Sasuke! I wanna try out these gloves on you!"

For some strange reason, Sasuke avoided him for the rest of the day.

* * *

"We're going to take the test in three months."

"Yeah, yeah. I _know._ You've been over it a million times already. I have to keep acting as dead last so they'll make me take the test in order to humiliate me 'when' I fail. You'll just have to ask, because you're the Last Uchiha and they'll do anything for you. The test has four parts, written, which I still have to study for; weapons, which is basically how well we can throw kunai and shuriken; taijutsu, where we have to land a hit on the instructor; and ninjutsu, where we have to perform the basic three jutsu: bunshin (clone), henge (transformation), and kawarmimi (replacement). I have to work on the clone jutsu. I'll have to get everything perfect so they'll _have_ to pass me. Oh, and the test is harder than it would be if we took it when we're thirteen, for some reason."

"Because they want to make sure that only the really talented people graduate early. But, yes, that's the gist of it."

"Hah! So I got it all this time!"

"Hn. Make sure you practice your chakra control. We have to graduate this year."

"I know, teme. Don't worry, I'll get it down in no time!"

"Hn. Make sure you do."

* * *

"Bunshin no Jutsu!"

Three perfect clones of Haruno Sakura appeared, and Mizuki-sensei smiled in approval.

"Henge! Kawarmimi! "

One of the clones then turned into a perfect replica of the Third Hokage, and almost immediately switched places with the original Sakura.

Mizuki-sensei's eyes widened at the rather impressive display (for a ten-year-old civilian girl, at any rate), and he smiled down at the girl. "Congratulations, Sakura-chan, you pass!"

The pink-haired girl accepted the headband with a smile, tying it quickly around her head like a headband.

Naruto stared, wide-eyed, at the girl who walked innocently past him. He'd had no idea that Sakura was that good! Last he remembered, she was one of Sasuke's fangirls, right? But... now that he thought of it, Sakura's attitude had changed in the past few months. Her crush on Sasuke had seemingly faded overnight, and apparently her aggressiveness had vanished along with it. Now all that was left was a cheerful, nice, and seemingly average girl.

The blond glanced at Sasuke, who was looking back at the girl with narrowed eyes.

Huh. Now that he thought of it, Naruto remembered Sasuke talking quietly to the girl once before, about six months ago. She'd been crying, glaring at her crush with baleful eyes.

_What in the world did he say to her?_ Naruto wondered to himself. To get her that sort of attitude change... it must've been pretty damn bad. Naruto was also curious as to why the raven even bothered to talk to her. Sasuke usually didn't bother insulting his fangirls. So why...?

Shaking his head, Naruto told himself to drop it. If Sasuke didn't tell him, then it was none of his business. All he needed to know was that Haruno Sakura was now no longer a shallow fangirl.

The blond watched as Sasuke passed the practical test without so much as a blink, and then it was his turn.

Naruto stepped up confidently. He'd managed to pass the written, weapons, and taijutsu test already, and Sasuke had forced him to do chakra control exercises until he could make three passable clones. The other two jutsu, he had no problem with.

The blond performed the jutsu without a hitch, and he grinned ecstatically as he received his own headband. Spinning around, he practically skipped back to his seat beside Sasuke. The raven rolled his eyes, but made no comment.

Mizuki-sensei smiled at the three of them. "Congratulations, Haruno Sakura, Uchiha Sasuke, and Uzumaki Naruto! You three are now officially promoted to genin. As the three of you are the only graduates your age, you will be placed in the same team. Tomorrow, you'll meet your new jounin-sensei here at ten o'clock. Don't be late!"

And with that, he disappeared in a puff of smoke, leaving the three genin alone.

Sakura was the first to move. She turned to the boys and smiled politely. "Well, I'll be going now. See you tomorrow, Uchiha-san, Naruto-san."

Naruto was once again shocked at the way she addressed them. Before, it was always "Sasuke-kun" and "Naruto-baka", but now she was being overly polite with them. Especially Sasuke, strangely enough.

He'd have to get used to the new Sakura. It was a nice new, of course, much better than being punched all the time for sitting next to Sasuke, or calling her "Sakura-chan". But still, the formality from his new teammate made him uneasy.

"Hey, Sakura-chan, you don't have to be so polite with me. After all, we're gonna be teammates, right?"

Green eyes flashed for a millisecond, and Naruto thought she was going to change back and hit him again, but then the smile returned to her face. "Really? Okay then... Naruto-kun."

Something about the way she said his name... it was weird. Maybe because that was what she used to call Sasuke.

The sound of the door closing made Naruto jump, and when he looked up, Sakura was gone and Sasuke was standing before him, an irritated expression on his face. "Well, dobe? Are you coming or not?"

"Ah! Yeah, I was just thinking, is all. About Sakura," he added quickly to clarify. "She's really different, isn't she?"

Sasuke frowned. "Naruto... don't trust her, okay?"

"What? _Sakura-chan?_ Why?"

Sasuke just shook his head. "She... just listen to me, okay? _Don't trust Sakura._"

What did Sasuke know that he didn't? Sakura seemed pretty harmless, if a little strange, but since the one asking was _Sasuke..._

"Alright. I won't. Can we go now?"

Dark orbs met sky blue for a moment, and then Sasuke was gliding out of the classroom, leaving Naruto scrambling to catch up.

* * *

Two hours. The newly dubbed Team Seven's new sensei, a gray-haired jerk with most of his face covered, was _two hours_ late.

As a matter of fact, so was Sakura. She only showed up about fifteen minutes before their sensei did, almost as if she knew that he would be late.

_But that was impossible, right? _

Naruto managed to swallow down his anger at the teacher and follow Sasuke and Sakura to the roof of the building, as instructed.

When they got there, the man was reading a little orange book, completely ignoring them.

Naruto cleared his throat, annoyed. _This_ was the guy who was supposed to be training them?

The supposed jounin looked up, faintly surprised, before putting his book away. "So you're here already," He muttered offhandedly.

He gave what appeared to be a smile beneath the mask, and said cheerfully, "Well then, why don't we introduce ourselves? Let's start with your name, likes, dislikes, hobbies, and dreams for the future." His single eye focused on Naruto. "You first, Uzumaki."

Naruto was surprised he knew his name, until he realized, _Of course he does. I'm the supposed instigator of the Kyuubi Massacre, after all._

He grinned with false excitement. "Alright! My name is Uzumaki Naruto, I like ramen, training, and that bastard," He stopped briefly to point at Sasuke. "I don't like traitors, and my dream is to protect Sasuke and help him kill a traitor!"

The sensei seemed unsurprised, bored even. "Well, since you mentioned him, let's have Sasuke-kun go next."

Said boy glared. "I am Uchiha Sasuke. I hate a lot of things, and I don't like much. I train. My goal is to restore my clan and kill a certain person."

"How delightful," the jounin remarked dryly. "Alright, now the pink brat for last."

Naruto noted with a frown that Sakura was the only one not addressed by name. And so rudely too. The old Sakura would've been furious at that, but what about the new one?

Sakura smiled sweetly at the man. She didn't seem angry at all- until she opened her mouth, voice toxically sweet. "I think you forgot to introduce yourself, sensei. But that's okay- I'll do it for you!"

She tapped her fingers, thinking. "Ah!" The girl grinned in fake delight. "Let's see... Your name is Hatake Kakashi. You are also known as Sharingan no Kakashi, the son of Konoha's suicidal White Fang. You liked your dead teammates and sensei, and you hate those who would abandon their teammates. Your enjoy imitating your old teammate. Your dream... you claim you don't have one, but I think you want to make your deceased team and family proud."

Naruto gaped._ What in the world...? How did Sakura know all that? How did she even know Kakashi would be their teacher? And so much personal information..._

He frowned as he realized that maybe Sasuke was right. This new Sakura was... dangerous. She knew so much- and as Mizuki-sensei often liked to say, information was power.

He glanced at Sasuke who had been glaring at Kakashi since Sakura uttered the word, "Sharingan". It made sense- that was probably why he covered his left eye. But it was weird, too. According to Sakura, he wasn't an Uchiha- and besides, they were all dead anyway. So how did Kakashi get one? There were several possibilities, and none of them seemed good.

Naruto didn't blame Sasuke for being being mad at the man.

But sensei had seemed pretty shocked by Sakura as well. Throughout the introduction Naruto could tell she'd hit several sore points for him, although he'd managed to shake it off pretty well.

But it was obvious Kakashi-sensei was still shaken.

Sakura's innocent sounding, cheerful voice sliced through Naruto's thoughts. "My turn!" She chirped. "My name is Haruno Sakura, I like being informed, I dislike monsters, and I enjoy reading and making new recipes."

There were lots of weird things about that.

_She dislikes... monsters? What is that supposed to mean? And making recipes? Like in cooking? But it almost feels like she was talking about something else. The way she said "recipes"... It's really... weird._

Sakura turned, emerald green eyes staring into Naruto's sapphire blues.

"And my dream is to find out what really happened during the Kyuubi Massacre."

* * *

**So, what do you think? **

**What happened to Sakura to make her change so much? Was it Sasuke? And her dream... Does she somehow know Naruto's secret?**

**And what do you think of my little twist? The Kyuubi Massacre... if you guys are confused, here's what basically happened:**

**Sasuke wanted to see the Kyuubi, so he tried to force it out of Naruto by trying to kill it's host. However, he underestimated the Kyuubi, and it managed to gain control of Naruto's body, going on a rampage and destroying everything in sight. It was only because of Naruto's total devotion that Sasuke wasn't killed. However, other people were (mostly civilians, a few dozen at most, but because of _how _they were killed, it was a big deal.) Sasuke awakened his Sharingan during that time, so he saw it all. Naruto doesn't actually know all that much about what happened. And the villagers only know about Naruto's part in the Massacre.**

**For Naruto's birthday- what do you think of his new weapon? I figured swords wouldn't really suit him, and chakra claws seem pretty good for a close-combat wind natured guy like him.**

**Oh, and the graduation. Sakura was smart enough to graduate early in canon, but she just didn't put in the effort. However, now she has a very good reason to train hard- that you'll find out next chapter! ****As for Sasuke and Naruto- I think that training together would've helped them far more than doing it alone.**

**Well, review and tell me what you think! **


	5. Chapter 5

**Thanks again to everybody who reviewed! Especially TKM and Narutopokefan, you guys have been encouraging me from the start! Thank you!**

**Also, thanks, Leoni Liponscovi! I've never gotten a compliment like that before, so thank you very much, I'm flattered!**

**I hope you like this chapter!**

* * *

_"Maybe, just maybe, there is no purpose in life. But if you linger a while longer in this world, you might discover something of value in it." - Orochimaru_

* * *

Haruno Sakura is lost.

She no longer has a purpose. Everything she knows has been ripped apart and brutally destroyed.

Because two weeks ago, the Kyuubi Massacre happened. Two weeks ago, her parents...

_(Where are they?! Who are you? Why won't you let me see my parents?!)_

Her parents were killed.

_(I'm sorry, Sakura-chan. Your parents... they're dead.)_

At first she doesn't believe them. She screams, cries, makes outrageous accusations- until they show her the bodies.

Crushed, mangled beyond all recognition- but she _knows _who they are.

She does not say a word after that. She falls to the ground, hands clenched, teeth gritted, silent sobs wracking her small frame- but she does not make a sound.

She remembers being picked up with gentle hands, and then she is moving, the world blurring around her.

Quiet whispers around her, and then she is being carried again. She is carefully dropped on a bed, covers tucked gently around her. Then, the footsteps are retreating, and Sakura hears the sound of a door being closed.

She lies there, unmoving, still as a corpse.

That night, Haruno Sakura does not sleep. Dull green eyes stare unseeingly up at the ceiling, the occasional tear welling up and staining small, pale cheeks.

During that time, she remembers. The last thing she ever said to her parents...

_(I wish you would just leave me alone!)_

For the first time ever, Sakura's wish actually comes true.

But she wishes with all her heart that it hadn't.

Despite knowing that it is impossible, she feels like their deaths are her fault.

Maybe if she hadn't made that wish...

She hadn't really meant it, of course. She was just mad, caught up in the heat of the moment. She'd been arguing with her parents over something.

Sakura doesn't remember what. She hopes it was something important.

She only remembers running out of the house, ignoring the calls behind her, and vowing never to come back. But then... screams filled the air, a demonic aura tainted the calm atmosphere, and the sky glowed red with blood.

The worst thing was that it was all coming from the direction of her house.

By the time she got there, it was all over.

She was too late. They were dead.

_I should be dead, too. _Is all she can think. If it wasn't for that stupid argument, she _would_ be dead. She'd be in heaven with her parents.

But she isn't.

In her (stiff, cold) bed, Sakura still does not move. She remains motionless as the sun rises, morning light bathing her face in warmth. She can only think how wrong the warmth is. After all, her family was dead. Everything should've been cold and grey, not warm and bright.

People come to see her. Nameless voices, faceless bodies, all blurring in her head. Some calm, others angry, a few desperate.

She never responds.

Days pass like this, and Sakura becomes aware that she has to do _something._ She cannot stay like this, leaving her body to rot.

_But why not? _A small part of her thinks. _It would be so much easier like this. You'd die eventually, and then you'd be able to see your parents again. There's no use in staying in this world anymore, anyway. You have no purpose here._

_No, _another part of her argues. _I have to get up. I have to live. I have to_ find_ a purpose. It's what they would've wanted. I must make them proud._

Slowly, miraculously, Sakura pulls herself out of her daze. She begins responding, drinking, eating. Slowly, her body is healing.

Her mind, however, is a different story. She responds, yes, but she never _answers._ Her words are empty, mechanical. In many ways, Haruno Sakura _is_ dead.

But she hears people talk around her. She hears bits, pieces, and her brilliant mind eventually puts them together to form a horrifing picture.

First, her parents weren't the only ones to die that night.

Second, they were killed by a demon, the Kyuubi. Apparently it hadn't been killed nine years ago, after all. Apparently it is still alive, in the form of a boy.

Which leads to number three. Uzumaki Naruto is actually the Kyuubi no Kitsune, the monster that had killed her parents. And Uchiha Sasuke_ (Sasuke-kun...) _is the Kyuubi's slave. Somehow he had been bewitched by it.

At least, that is the story she hears. But... she couldn't believe it. Uzumaki Naruto is her classmate after all, and despite his annoying and overfamiliar way of addressing her, he is perfectly harmless. Bright, obnoxious, cheerful... There's no way somebody like that could be a demon, right?

And yet... It would all make so much sense if he is. The whispers whenever he is around, her own parents' warnings not to get close to him, the way he's treated.

So that means... His attitude is all a mask?

And what about the part of the story about Sasuke-kun? Is it true? It would definitely explain the two's closeness for the past year.

But the way the boys interact, it doesn't seem like Sasuke-kun is being controlled. In fact, when they are together he seems almost... happy.

No. There are too many possibilities, too much false information, too many misleading clues. She can not make an assumption based on mere gossip.

She would get well, get released from the hospital, and then she would ask Sasuke-kun for the truth herself.

* * *

Sakura arrives at Training Ground Three on the time specified. Sasuke and Naruto are there before her.

_SasukeandNaruto, _she thinks to herself, amused. _It's almost like one word now. Those two... whether they know it or not, they're dangerously dependent on each other__. If one of them dies... the other will be destroyed._

The second she steps into the clearing, Uchiha Sasuke is glaring at her.

"Do you need something, Uchiha-san?" Sakura asks innocently.

Sasuke turns to whisper something to Naruto, then stalks predatorily toward her.

The old Sakura would've been awed and intimidated by the sheer deadliness and grace in his movements, but this one remains unfazed.

"Haruno," he snaps.

"Uchiha," comes the calm reply.

The dark haired boy grabs her roughly by the wrist and leads her into the forest, away from Naruto's hearing range.

Turning to face her, the Uchiha growls, "You will not harm Naruto."

Sakura blinks. "Who said I would?"

"You all but threatened him yesterday. I don't want to start a fight Sakura-"

"Oh, really? You're acting awfully aggressive, then."

"I told you, if you wanted revenge, take it out on me! Naruto has nothing to do with this."

"I beg to differ. But that's not important. Do you want to become a _real _ninja?"

The boy looks almost offended. "Of course!"

"Then stop trying to convince me, genius. You have time to do that, but Hatake-sensei's test will start at exactly noon. Start prioritizing and do what's important first. Which means, right now, we have to plan."

Sasuke looks shocked by her confident, commanding tone.

Taking advantage of his momentary surprise, she grabs him tightly, just enough for it to hurt.

She snickers. _Serves you right for pulling me here like that._

This time it is Sakura that drags Sasuke back to the clearing.

She comes to a stop before a bewildered blond haired, blue eyed boy, and smiles at him. Plopping down next to Naruto, she pats the ground next to herself and makes Sasuke to sit.

When the three are seated in a more or less triangular shape, each facing the center, Sakura declares, "Alright. Now we plan. First, there are several things you should know about our teacher..."

* * *

Hatake Kakashi arrives at precisely noon, accompanied by a _pop! _and a puff of smoke.

Sakura looks up, bored. _Three, two, one..._

"KAKASHI-SENSEI! You bastard! Leaving me and Sasuke and Sakura-chan to wait like that!"

_...Zero, _she finishes. Tuning out Naruto's voice, she looks over at the other boy.

As usual, Sasuke is brooding. Dark eyes staring off into the distance, silky raven strands framing a pale, almost delicate looking face.

Sakura lets her gaze drift across the sharp, aristocratic features that had always fascinated her- from the second she first saw the boy. Emerald gaze moving up, she is startled to meet a pair of faintly inquisitive dark eyes.

Almost as if burned, she jerks her eyes away from the _(beautiful, enchanting) _boy.

Cursing silently, she clenched her fists. _You idiot! You have a goal now, so stick to it! Are you really so pathetic you'd let yourself be distracted by a pretty face?_

Forcing herself to unclench her hands, Sakura assumes a bored expression and relaxes her body. Mask securely on and in place, she reverts her attention to the conversation.

A few minutes later, she finds herself standing in front of three training stumps with the rest of her new team.

Kakashi-sensei places an alarm clock on one of the stumps, holding up two bells with his other hand.

He starts with his explanation, and Sakura is gratified to see the surprised and annoyed flicker in his eye as he realizes that none of them are surprised.

The gray haired man sighs, irritated, and snaps, "Start!"

Immediately Sakura hides herself in the shadows, a silent spectator to the scene unfolding before her.

Meanwhile Naruto charges immediately at the man with a loud battle cry. He is in a weak, sloppy taijutsu stance, exactly what is expected of the former dead last of the class.

Sakura smiles grimly to herself. _Good, he's following the plan._

Naruto unleashes several wild punches that are easily avoided.

"How pathetic. Are the Academy's standard really that low these days? Allowing somebody like this to graduate _early_..."

Naruto gives an enraged yell and makes a few hand signs. An unusually large cloud of smoke, and when it clears, two Naruto clones are standing in it's place.

The gray haired man merely raises an eyebrow before reaching into his pocket-

Sakura tenses, her own hand reaching for a weapon (just in case), and watches as he whips out a small, orange book.

Sakura relaxes, and grins smugly. _You just ensured your defeat, idiot. Haven't you ever learnt not to underestimate anybody? Especially not Uzumaki Naruto..._

Said boy grins savagely, and charges, one of the clones right beside him, while the other poofs out of existence.

Sakura prepares herself, kunai in hand, watching vindictively as the 'clone' beside Naruto shimmers and fades, leaving an angry Uchiha Sasuke in it's place.

By the time Kakashi realizes what is going on, it is too late.

Sasuke and Naruto are on him, working seamlessly together. Naruto shows no trace of his formerly horrible taijutsu, now using a crude but effective style of brute strength and sheer power. Sasuke is right beside him, making up for his partner's lack of finesse with quick, precise hits, taking full advantage of his blazing, spinning Sharingan.

Whenever the man moves to dodge one, the other would attack him from another direction, giving Kakashi no time to recover. Dancing around each other, each move perfectly supplementing the others, Sakura is in awe.

_This is the sheer power and incredible teamwork I will have to defeat one day..._

She stares calculatingly at the blur of black and blond. The boys are fluidly, selflessly supporting each other, each covering for the other's weaknesses.

_It's almost as if they were made to fight together..._

They push back against their opponent, and Kakashi is forced to let go of his book to defend himself.

But now that the grey haired man has use of both his hands, he quickly uses his superior size, strength, and skill to overwhelm the boys. Almost immediately, Naruto is forced to start using his claws, and Sasuke is beginning to pant.

_My turn,_ Sakura thinks gleefully, before she unleashes a barrage of kunai upon the trio.

The kunai miss completely, and Kakashi is scanning the trees for her when she steps out.

Her hands are held in a very familiar seal. Sakura grins as realization flashes in the man's single visible eye. He turns, and there- among the kunai scattered haphazardly around his favorite orange volume, he sees it.

A single explosive tag attached to one of the kunai.

Slowly, slowly the man turns back, the terror in his visible eye giving Sakura an unholy amount of pleasure. She smiles again, and says, "Now, Kakashi-sensei, you have a choice. Pass us, _all _of us, or the book goes _boom."_

The man promptly bursts in tears and screams, "You pass! You pass! Just don't harm my baby!"

All three of the newly passed genin sweatdrop. Sakura lets her hands drop from the hand seal she is holding, and walks casually to the boys as Kakashi rushes to 'rescue' his book.

"We did it, Naruto-kun, Uchiha-san. We're passed, just like I told you we would. After all, the bells really don't matter. As long as we worked together, and gave him some motivation, we'd pass."

As Naruto beams and thanks her, albeit somewhat warily, and Sasuke reluctantly nods in her general direction, Sakura smirks grimly to herself.

_Step one, complete._

She walks back to the orphanage in high spirits, yet for some reason there is a heavy feeling in her chest.

* * *

**Eep. That was my first fight scene... what do you think?**

**For this chapter, I tried using the same format as the others (first section in present tense, rest in past tense) but it sounded so wrong for some reason. **

**So, yeah, you might've noticed this whole chapter is in present tense. I'm thinking about changing the whole story to present, because it seems easier to write that way. Also, is the constant changing from past to present confusing or annoying to you guys? Did you even notice until I told you?**

**So, yeah, should I change it or not?**

**Oh, and an explanation for those of you confused about what happened during the battle-**

**Naruto uses sloppy taijutsu to make Kakashi underestimate him and pull out the book. Once one of his hands are occupied, Naruto makes two clones, and while the smoke covers them, a henged Sasuke uses the replacement technique on a clone. So now, Sasuke-henged-as-Naruto is masquerading as a clone. He and Naruto charge, Sasuke dispelling his henge. Naruto and Sasuke start attacking with their full strength, forcing Kakashi to drop his book to defend himself. Sakura throws kunai and 'misses'. One of those kunai have an explosive tag. And, viola, Kakashi has to pass them or lose his book. And since they did work together, there's no reason not to pass them.**

**...Rather ingenious plan, in my own humble opinion. After all, they only used taijutsu, the three basic ninjutsu, several kunai, and an explosive tag to pass.**

**Tell me what you think in your reviews! **


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